'F9', the latest installment in the 'Fast and Furious' franchise cracked $500 million in global ticket sales over the weekend, fueling optimism that the Hollywood blockbuster is back.
Conway G.
Gittens has more.
'Fast and Furious' boosts summer blockbuster return
The Hollywood summer blockbuster is back after taking a hiatus in 2020 due to the health crisis.... At least that's what the movie industry hopes.
It's getting a strong indication that that is the case after tallying up the early numbers for the July 4th holiday weekend.
"F9: The Fast Saga", the ninth installment of the "Fast and Furious" franchise zipped past the $500 million mark globally after only two weeks in theaters.
The Vin Diesel car chase flick is the first U.S. produced film to crack that barrier since 2019, making it the biggest ticket sale winner so far since movie theaters fully reopened after being shut during the health crisis.
The only movie from a Hollywood studio to even come close was 'Godzilla vs.
Kong', which unlike Fast and Furious, was also released on the HBO Max streaming service at the same time when it debut in April.
After a delayed start to the traditional summer blockbuster season, Hollywood is taking heart from box office numbers that suggest that audiences will come back to the big screen for the right movie.
And it's not just the so-called tentpole blockbusters like "Fast and Furious" that's fueling hope.
"A Quiet Place 2", a smaller-budget flick, has been quietly raking in the dough for weeks.
Its global box office take is now more than $257 million.
It reportedly only cost about $61 million to make.
That's fueling enthusiasm as Disney gets ready to finally release "Black Widow" on July 9th.
The latest movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, arguably the most valuable movie franchise out there.
The comic book action-hero film, starring Scarlett Johansson, will debut simultaneously at theaters and on the Disney+ streaming service for an additional fee.